The National Senior Games will make its way to Des Moines in 2025 to showcase the benefits of physicality, competitiveness and active aging for adults over 50 years old.
Both Catch Des Moines and the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) are combining efforts to tackle this goal.
“I think it’s outstanding,” Catch Des Moines President and CEO Greg Edwards said. “The National Senior Games was created for the purpose of keeping seniors healthy and giving them healthy, healthy lifestyles.”
During even-numbered years, the NSGA sanctions qualifying games through 53 member organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. On odd-numbered years, the association holds the National Senior Games (NSG) proper.
The NSG will offer a range of 20 sports for senior adults to compete in. There will also be options, such as bowling and shuffleboard, for those with disabilities.
To participate in the NSG, athletes must attend their in-state Senior Games qualifier which takes place a year prior to the NSG.
This year, the 37th annual Iowa Senior Games was held in June, accounting for about 1,000 athletes competing in nearly 30 sports and 100 events. Though different from the NSG, the Iowa Senior Games are held, in part, to provide the opportunity for athletes to advance to the national or world level.
